Makerere honours Japheth Katto with honorary PhD

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Makerere University has today, February 26, 2026, conferred an honorary PhD upon distinguished corporate governance expert CPA Japheth Buleetwa Katto.

The degree, according to the university, is in recognition of his decades-long contribution to the advancement of accountancy, capital markets, and board leadership in Uganda and beyond.

Speaking at the ceremony, university vice-chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe praised Katto’s exceptional professional record and impact on the country’s financial architecture.

“Mr Chancellor Sir, today you will confer an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Makerere University on Mr Japheth Katto. Katto, as he will later be introduced, is a distinguished corporate governance expert and accomplished business leader who has made a great contribution to Uganda, the region, and the world with respect to the development and advancement of the accountancy discipline and the capital markets. I congratulate him on this achievement,” Nawangwe said.

Katto, a seasoned professional accountant and governance specialist, has built a career spanning leadership and oversight roles across regulatory institutions, listed companies, public sector entities, not-for-profit organisations, and international professional bodies.

His expertise covers corporate governance, board leadership, accountancy, and the regulation of capital markets, pensions, and banking.

He is the founder and chairperson of JKC Consulting, a corporate governance and leadership advisory firm established in 2016.

Over the years, Katto has also distinguished himself as a consultant, author, and international speaker, publishing books and articles and lecturing in several countries on governance and financial regulation.

His influence extends into Uganda’s top financial institutions. Katto currently serves as a board member of the Bank of Uganda and is a trustee of the Bank’s Defined Benefits Pension Scheme.

He also sits on the board of trustees of the London-based International Valuation Standards Council, reflecting his global professional footprint.

Previously, he chaired several major corporate boards, including Stanbic Bank Uganda Ltd, Stanbic Uganda Holdings Ltd, Uganda Breweries Ltd, and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award Uganda, and served as Vice Chair of Junior Achievement Uganda.

His boardroom leadership earned him regional recognition, including the League of East African Directors’ (LEAD) Best Chairman for Listed Companies award in 2021 and 2022, and the Lifetime Non-Executive Director Award in 2023.

Katto is widely credited as one of the architects of Uganda’s modern capital markets framework. He played an instrumental role in laying the legal and regulatory foundation for the capital markets industry and driving its growth.

Today, Uganda’s capital markets boast a market capitalisation of approximately shillings 35 trillion, while collective investment schemes, commonly known as unit trusts, stand at about sh5 trillion.

Beyond institutional design, Katto championed public awareness on the role of capital markets in national development and was a strong advocate for regional integration within East Africa’s financial systems.

He also chaired the Pension Regulatory and Liberalisation Task Force under the Ministry of Finance, a process that culminated in the establishment of the Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority.

An alumnus of Makerere University, Katto graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree.

He is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a member of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda (ICPAU).

Over the years, he has received multiple accolades, including the ACCA Achievement Award in 2012 and the ICPAU Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, underscoring his enduring influence on the accounting profession.